The trade is being urged to show more support for independent operators after Cadogan Holidays revealed plans to scale back its operations to focus on North Africa and Gibraltar.
All Cadogan staff at its Southampton office are under threat of redundancy as the company moves operations to parent company Bland Group’s office at Gatwick. It is understood a consultation process ends today.
Managing director Stephen Rhodes said: “We have had a major refocus and will concentrate on North Africa and Gilbraltar.
“Morocco and Tunisia performed well for us in the last year so we have decided to focus on those and increase the number of hotels we feature.”
Wakefield-based Sandy Travel proprietor Sandra Murray said agents must support independent partners, as the number has diminished following a series of buyouts and failures.
She said: “It’s always a shame when independents have to cut back or amalgamate. We need more independent tour operators, not fewer. It is becoming a smaller pool, so we have just got to keep supporting them.”
Nick McKay, Travel Designers director, said: “It’s a great shame to see Cadogan changing its business in such a radical way.
“They were extremely well respected and had amazing staff. I hope those that lose their jobs find employment elsewhere soon.
“It will be interesting to see how they fit into the market now. It seems a very strange move indeed.”
Cadogan currently features 22 destinations including Italy, Spain and Greece and is understood to have up to 40 staff. Rhodes reassured agents that Cadogan would not adopt a direct-sell strategy. He said: “This won’t affect our relationship with the trade.”